The Life of Buddha written by Andre Ferdinand Herold (1922)
Queen Maya - mother of Siddhartha
King Suddhodana - father of Sid
Maya has a dream that the Gods bring their family a son. The brahmans say their son will be favored by the Gods, radiant, and will be a Buddha.
Maya has her son Siddartha in the gardens underneath a beautiful rare tree. Suddhodana is informed of his son's birth and is joyful.
Asita's prediction
Asita - a great hermit
He can see the greatness of Sid. He notices Sid bares the mark of omnipotence. He tells Suddhodana that his child will be great.
Sid at the Temple
Since it was told that Sid would be a monk by Asita his king father worried Sid would never continue the family line and rule in his place.
Maya became too joyful and died seven days after Sid was born. Maya's sister Mahaprajapati cared for Sid in her place. As time went on Sid grew strong and intelligent.
Maha wanted Sid to be draped in fine jewelry but when a Goddess who lived in the garden said he did not need them for his own skin shone brighter than any jewels or gems. Maha then removed the jewels.
Maha takes Sid to the temple where he passes by the statues of the Gods. As he passed they came to life and began to sing.
Sid's first meditation
The prince grew older and needed to go to school. When he went the teacher, Visvamitra realized he already knew all of the scripts they had and that he could probably be teaching her. She was astonished at this and sent him off. When he was walking back to the palace he found a small area of trees. It was hot that day so he decided to rest. When he sat down he began to ponder and got lost in meditation.
Five hermits passed by and watched Sid meditate. They saw that he bore the mark of omnipotence and he would surely become a Buddha. They sang praises for him.
The king began to wonder where his son was and sent a servant after him. The servant found Sid sitting in the trees meditating and became very happy. He ran back to tell the king. The king followed him back to the trees and he was so happy. They both admired Sid and loved him very much. Sid woke and knew he must seek truths.
First Encounter
Sid wanted to explore beyond his castle. The king knew he could not keep him so he made sure all the roads were safe. He did not want Sid to see the sick, the poor or anyone is a bad state. He ordered his men to clear the roads. As Sid rode is his golden chariot he met many beautiful faces that pleasantly greeted him. The Gods became jealous at this joy and made an old man for only the charioteer and Sid to see.
Sid saw the old man and asked the charioteer what was wrong with this man? Why was his back bent? The charioteer spoke to Sid what the Gods wished him to speak. He said, " that is an old man that was not given a sweet life. Time has left him crippled." Sid then asked if that was just his condition or if everyone met this fate. The charioteer then said that we all age, he was once a child and spry and now he withers away.
Sid became very sad when he heard this and asked to go back home.
Two More Encounters
Sid decides to go back out on the road and give it another go. But the Gods made a very sickly person. Sid asked what was wrong with this person? Is he alone diseased or are there others like him? Again, the charioteer speaks from the Gods, "this man is weakness and sickness, but he was once strong. Sickness is everywhere."
Sid becomes very sad at hearing this. The king noticed that something had changed in Sid and became sad himself. He thought that all might be well if Sid went out on the road again and there were only healthy, kind people. He sent his crew again to sweep the streets of any illness.
The jealous Gods then made a corpse. Sid sees four men carrying and body and weeping. He asks why are they crying? The charioteer says, "death has taken that man as it does all men." This made Sid depressed and he returned home. Sid could not get these encounters out of his head.
The Fair Maidens
Udayin - a long-time childhood friend of Sid's
Udayin brings Sid some ladies. They are all intimidated by Sid. Udayin talks with the girls and says not to be frightened and to be themselves. Even when they are throwing themselves at Sid he does nothing for he is preoccupied with his thoughts.
The Great Truths
Sid could not find peace. He was lost. One day a beggar came to him. The beggar said he was a monk. He did not have a permanent home, no pleasures, no passion. The monk only searched for solitude. This made Sid happy. Sid decided he would also become a monk and he went to tell his father. Upon the news, his father wept. He did not want this religion to take over his life. He wanted his son to take his place as king and to be a kid a while longer. Sid stood his ground.
Queen Maya - mother of Siddhartha
King Suddhodana - father of Sid
Maya has a dream that the Gods bring their family a son. The brahmans say their son will be favored by the Gods, radiant, and will be a Buddha.
Maya has her son Siddartha in the gardens underneath a beautiful rare tree. Suddhodana is informed of his son's birth and is joyful.
Asita's prediction
Asita - a great hermit
He can see the greatness of Sid. He notices Sid bares the mark of omnipotence. He tells Suddhodana that his child will be great.
Sid at the Temple
Since it was told that Sid would be a monk by Asita his king father worried Sid would never continue the family line and rule in his place.
Maya became too joyful and died seven days after Sid was born. Maya's sister Mahaprajapati cared for Sid in her place. As time went on Sid grew strong and intelligent.
Maha wanted Sid to be draped in fine jewelry but when a Goddess who lived in the garden said he did not need them for his own skin shone brighter than any jewels or gems. Maha then removed the jewels.
Maha takes Sid to the temple where he passes by the statues of the Gods. As he passed they came to life and began to sing.
Sid's first meditation
The prince grew older and needed to go to school. When he went the teacher, Visvamitra realized he already knew all of the scripts they had and that he could probably be teaching her. She was astonished at this and sent him off. When he was walking back to the palace he found a small area of trees. It was hot that day so he decided to rest. When he sat down he began to ponder and got lost in meditation.
Five hermits passed by and watched Sid meditate. They saw that he bore the mark of omnipotence and he would surely become a Buddha. They sang praises for him.
The king began to wonder where his son was and sent a servant after him. The servant found Sid sitting in the trees meditating and became very happy. He ran back to tell the king. The king followed him back to the trees and he was so happy. They both admired Sid and loved him very much. Sid woke and knew he must seek truths.
First Encounter
Sid wanted to explore beyond his castle. The king knew he could not keep him so he made sure all the roads were safe. He did not want Sid to see the sick, the poor or anyone is a bad state. He ordered his men to clear the roads. As Sid rode is his golden chariot he met many beautiful faces that pleasantly greeted him. The Gods became jealous at this joy and made an old man for only the charioteer and Sid to see.
Sid saw the old man and asked the charioteer what was wrong with this man? Why was his back bent? The charioteer spoke to Sid what the Gods wished him to speak. He said, " that is an old man that was not given a sweet life. Time has left him crippled." Sid then asked if that was just his condition or if everyone met this fate. The charioteer then said that we all age, he was once a child and spry and now he withers away.
Sid became very sad when he heard this and asked to go back home.
Two More Encounters
Sid decides to go back out on the road and give it another go. But the Gods made a very sickly person. Sid asked what was wrong with this person? Is he alone diseased or are there others like him? Again, the charioteer speaks from the Gods, "this man is weakness and sickness, but he was once strong. Sickness is everywhere."
Sid becomes very sad at hearing this. The king noticed that something had changed in Sid and became sad himself. He thought that all might be well if Sid went out on the road again and there were only healthy, kind people. He sent his crew again to sweep the streets of any illness.
The jealous Gods then made a corpse. Sid sees four men carrying and body and weeping. He asks why are they crying? The charioteer says, "death has taken that man as it does all men." This made Sid depressed and he returned home. Sid could not get these encounters out of his head.
The Fair Maidens
Udayin - a long-time childhood friend of Sid's
Udayin brings Sid some ladies. They are all intimidated by Sid. Udayin talks with the girls and says not to be frightened and to be themselves. Even when they are throwing themselves at Sid he does nothing for he is preoccupied with his thoughts.
The Great Truths
Sid could not find peace. He was lost. One day a beggar came to him. The beggar said he was a monk. He did not have a permanent home, no pleasures, no passion. The monk only searched for solitude. This made Sid happy. Sid decided he would also become a monk and he went to tell his father. Upon the news, his father wept. He did not want this religion to take over his life. He wanted his son to take his place as king and to be a kid a while longer. Sid stood his ground.
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| Buddhism |
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